So I think this is probably the weakest episode in Series 1. There's a few reasons for this.

Firstly the overall look, design and world building in this episode is very weak. A lot of the episode basically takes place in just a big white room with some food vendors and occasionally some orange lighting. This is supposed to be a space station from the year 200,000, but it looks like a half finished set. The food vendors don't even feel particularly futuristic or different. It just feels like someone watched Blade Runner and decided that borrowing a thing from that film (but make much more boring to look at) would be enough to feel like sci-fi. Just having a mostly ordinary looking food vendor say the words "kronk burger" a bunch is not enough. Everyone in this episode is also pretty much just wearing 2005 fashion as well. It's crazy how little effort the costume department put into the costumes here. The most sci-fi/futuristic fashion choice in this whole episode is the top worn by Rose. The only character actually from 2005 is probably the only person in the episode who doesn't look like they're from 2005. Then there's the big alien villain, who is just a big, slimy, blob with teeth. It all feels so lazy and the storytelling lacks much specificity as well. So as a place to visit, Satellite 5 is incredibly boring.

Now let's talk about Adam. I don't like Adam, but that's ok because I don't think you're supposed to like Adam. He's supposed to be a bad companion, and a contrast to Rose. This sounds like an interesting idea in theory, and maybe it could've been in execution. But, I find Adam incredibly boring, his storyline incredibly boring, his actions & motivations are boring too. Maybe it's supposed to be a fun fish out of water way to explore this new environment. But when the environment is so thinly and uninterestingly drawn, there isn't much to really explore.

He gets his own subplot that for most of the episode is completely unconnected to what is happening in the A plot. It does reconnect at the end, where Adam's selfish actions inadvertently make things worse for The Doctor and heighten the stakes. But we have to dedicate like 10 minutes of the episode to get to a brief heightening of stakes. I feel like you could remove Adam from the episode and write another (more interesting) way to get to the same point in less time.

It's not just that his plot is boring, but if it's supposed to contrast with Rose and make me like/appreciate Rose more, well it doesn't feel worth it because I already really like/appreciate Rose. Honestly, it might accidentally make me like Rose less, because she's brought a boring character on an adventure just because he's pretty to look at. I accept that Rose couldn't have known he'd be so weak and couldn't be trusted, but he was never interesting.

The plot itself is ok. The villains are controlling the news everyone receives and using it to subjugate the human empire. In some ways this story feels more interesting now than I think it did 20 years ago. We're living in an era of 'Fake News', and people are very aware that people's behaviour/beliefs can be influenced by the news/media they consume. But this also makes it kinda less interesting as well. The problem with watching this now is that we all know this, and there have been many much more insightful takes on this idea than are presented here, where the basic message of the episode doesn't amount to much more than 'wake up, sheeple'. But it is still a good message to present, even if it is presented in a very simple form.

I do like Cathica though. In fact I liked her an awful lot more than I remembered on this rewatch. I like how cravenly self-interested she is when we meet her (actually this probably makes her a more interesting contrast to Adam than Rose is. But I only realised whilst typing this review, so I'm not sure the episode does enough to actually make this point), but that's just her being a product of this world and the control of the Jagrafess. By spending time with the Doctor she starts to see that more and more things on Satellite 5 don't make sense. She's smart enough to quickly realise something is wrong, but has been conditioned to want to reject that notion. So she pretends there isn't for as long as she can. But once the illusion that everything is correct has been broken, she can't help but want to know more and starts to ask questions, which leads to her waking up and becoming an actual journalist who asks questions and investigates. I think it's a nice little arc for the character.

But even so, it's still a weak episode. If it wasn't for it's connection to the finale, I would recommend to anyone who wants to get into Doctor Who that they give this one a skip.

Another middling but not awful episode. Once again, the character dynamics speak to its strong suit as opposed to the plot. I love how the Doctor lets Rose do the whole time travel spiel for Adam for instance. Rose and Nine’s relationship is very strong and even Adam can recognize that. Simon Pegg plays a very Simon Pegg character and he is delightful. And I’d wager to say the message on the control of information is still as relevant now as it was when the episode was made.

New Who Review #7

The Long Game

This episode isn't good but it is pretty important for the Finale. This story is about satellite 5 and how the Mighty Jagrafess is controlling the earth and manipulating it. It also has a side story following Adam Mitchell who messes everything up and is sent home immediately showing that the doctor is very serious about who he travels with because you can't mess around with time travel. 5/10

Probably the most forgettable episode in this season.

This is the first time The Doctor is travelling with more than 1 companion (in the revival of course), and Rose gets to help with the onboarding process, (and kind of screws it up). I don't really like Adam, one of the first thing he does when he visits a new place is wander off and then try to personally profit from the technology by sending it back to his own time. Part of me feels kind of bad for his fate but he kinda had it coming

The Editor was great, and the interactions between him, Cathica and Suki was a really cool part of the episode. Suki and Cathica really save this episode for me, but its still kind of weak

2025 Rewatch

• I already know this is considered a dud of the series, and for a dud, it's not that bad, but it's nothing compared to the highs of this series. It's got a bit to compete with
• I understand this story centers around fake news, but I'm not sure how prevalent that idea comes through. It could be stronger in delivery. I don't remember seeing a smidge of that until Suki goes up to floor 500, and you don't get for a while yet
• The Adam side plot, whilst not the most integral to the story other than adding to the threat of the story, was fun. It was him exploring the future, and he revealed himself as more of an idiot than he says he is
• The Jagrafess itself isn't a major villain, just a blob in the ceiling. Could you have at least given a couple of lines to tell us where it came from or what its done?
• Resolution feels so quick, and it's explained to you with voice-over in such a slap-dash manner, making a little forgettable.

Pretty unremarkable. In most other Series most would say “this is just okay”, since Series 1 is filled with many good ones and in my Opinion has only a few darts (really the first half is a bit difficult to get through, for me at least). And well, one of them is probably this. Not to say that this Episode doesn’t deliver some good ideas, there are plenty of good ones, but really, and I know that was the attention, but Adam is such a nothing character. I get it you aren’t supposed to like him, but he feels like a caricature than a character. The CGI while impressive for the time sadly didn’t age so well, still charming and Simon Pegg is pretty unremarkable in this one, I always keep forgetting he was in this one. Overall it’s meh. Cool ideas, some nice moments, but as a whole Episode? I kinda wish we got something different, or this one would have benefit from being fleshed out more.

📝6/10

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

"The Long Game: Adam’s Exit Strategy"

The Long Game serves as both a satire on the media and a reflection on the consequences of technological advancement—two recurring themes in Series 1. It shares some thematic DNA with Vengeance on Varos, though it’s not as relentlessly grim. The episode also delves into the responsibilities of time travel and the consequences of abusing it, though its narrative weight is undercut by an overemphasis on Bruno Langley’s Adam, one of the series’ least likeable characters.

Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor continues to evolve, showing more of his moral complexity. Here, he grapples with the ethical implications of breaking the Laws of Time to benefit a civilisation while also demonstrating his ruthlessness when expelling Adam from the TARDIS. Billie Piper’s Rose is as charismatic as ever, cementing her bond with the Doctor. Unfortunately, much of the focus shifts to Adam, whose nosiness and self-serving decisions make him difficult to sympathise with.

Nine and Rose’s dynamic is on full display here, with the pair gleefully mocking Adam and treating him as little more than comic relief. While it’s satisfying to see Adam’s foolishness lead to his downfall, his prominence detracts from the episode’s sharper social commentary.

Simon Pegg’s turn as the Editor is a highlight, delivering a deliciously campy performance as one of the more memorable antagonists of the Eccleston era. He easily outshines the Jagrafess, a frankly uninspired blob with teeth that fails to leave much of an impression. It’s hard to take the Jagrafess seriously as a credible threat when the Editor’s snarky menace is far more compelling.

Christine Adams’ Cathica is a welcome addition as a smart and relatable supporting character. Her growth over the episode—from complicit worker to an active participant in toppling the system—is one of the more satisfying subplots.

The setting of Satellite 5 is impressively realised, with its bustling upper levels contrasting sharply with the grimy, downtrodden lower ones. Despite the CGI showing its age, the production design is top-notch, creating a believable environment that reinforces the episode’s themes of inequality and manipulation. The atmosphere echoes classics like The Macra Terror and The Krotons, with unsuspecting humans exploited by a malevolent force, only for the Doctor to disrupt the status quo.

The episode takes its time, balancing the Adam-focused B-plot with the overarching Level 500 mystery. While the slower pacing allows for atmosphere-building, it also diminishes the tension leading up to the climax. The confrontation with the Jagrafess and the Editor escalates quickly, resolving in a way that feels fleeting and lacking in suspense.

The real climax lies not in defeating the villains but in the fallout of Adam’s betrayal. The Ninth Doctor’s stern dismissal of Adam—complete with a final, darkly comedic shot—demonstrates his uncompromising nature and commitment to his mission. It’s a powerful moment that highlights this Doctor’s no-nonsense approach to his companions.

Final Thoughts:

The Long Game is an uneven episode, blending sharp satire and engaging world-building with a weak central threat and an over-reliance on Adam’s unlikeable antics. While it raises intriguing questions about power, responsibility, and exploitation, it struggles to deliver the tension and excitement of a true classic. Unless you’re a completist, this one feels like a skippable detour.

A middling filler episode with standout performances, strong atmosphere, and a satisfying comeuppance for Doctor Who’s most irritating companion.

Random Observations:

• This is the first story in Doctor Who where the Doctor explicitly kicks the current TARDIS companion out of the TARDIS due to their bad behaviour.
• The troubled production of this episode contributed to the introduction of the companion-lite and Doctor-lite episodes that were commonplace during the RTD and early Moffat eras.
• We will return to Satellite 5, the setting for this episode, later on in this season, in a narrative development similar to the one from The Ark in Space to Revenge of the Cybermen or the first and second halves of The Ark.
• Keen-eyed viewers might notice that this episode has been shot on the same set as The End of the World. That's a cost-cutting measure for you!

When I think of the segments with the Ninth Doctor, his companions, and these television parodies, almost every moment I remember is actually in Bad Wolf and not this episode. It is almost uncanny how little of this satellite is explored beyond the most superficial critiques of modern technology and its role in human culture. I recognize there is some intelligent, thoughtful ways to explore these ideas, and science fiction has done it before and since The Long Game.

Unfortunately, this sweatly, silly, poorly animated even by Series 1 standards episode just doesn't hold up. Simon Pegg should have been a good fit for Doctor Who and you can see that in his Star Trek work, but here he just doesn't work at all. I don't think he worked well with the then inexperienced production and it just feels like a waste of good talent and a big name. Neither Rose nor Nine get to shine here, and the Ninth Doctor seems almost cruel with how he treats Adam. I also found the brain hook-up thing just such a clumsy, heavy handed version of the possible future of information technology. It's bonkers we would accept something so intrusive (though somewhat salvaged knowing what was going on with humanity's future as part of Series 1's larger arc).

All told, it is an episode worth watching for the sake of knowing the larger continuity points of the Ninth Doctor's era, but otherwise, it is a prime candidate for a story I usually just skip right on by on rewatch.

Whilst RTD gives this story an interesting setting, engaging characters and a strong premise, it comes off quite slow and slight. Not as well paced as the rest of the series and feels incidental when looked at in its own context. It might even take less risks than most of the series around it.

Part of the issue is that the main villain is a big blob on the ceiling (not to be confused with the big blob on the floor in Rose). Simon Pegg does a marvelous job selling the importance of his monster boss with a long name (again, lifted from Aliens of London) but it is unable to be intimidating or do just about anything. The dialogue sells the situation well, it’s just the plot that is lacking.

Eventually the room blows up around the Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe in the same way it blew up around the Nestine Consciousness. And the Gelth. And the group of Slitheen. Similar to how Cassandra blew up. And we saw a Slitheen blow up due to being hit by vinegar. And the Dalek from last week blew itself up.

The difference is that all of the above stories had a USP. The Long Game’s USP could have been using the news to spread disinformation, an idea that it dangles but never really goes for the jugular with.

What it does succeed in is showing Adam as a failed companion and what a time traveler should *not* be like. It’s realistic that some ambitious people when given a TARDIS would try and use it for their own ends, so The Doctor ends his journey short. There’s a nice bit of tension between Rose, The Doctor and her “new boyfriend” which ultimately plays out as Rose treating it like a failed date.

The characters carry the whole story.